Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
1 Peter 4:9
Well, I blew that one. A couple weeks ago, I shared with Husband and the Littles around the supper table my intent to host 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality. Get this, not twelve hours later I was bitching about breakfast. Nice, huh?
I don’t remember the exact words I said as the Littles arrived sleepily in the kitchen hoping for something warm to break the overnight fast. I was already distracted (at 6:30 AM!!) and I muttered something to the tune of, “get your own breakfast.”
Seriously? I’ve made breakfast for the Littles nearly everyday of their lives and the day after I decide to write about hospitality THIS is how I greet the ones I love the most.
It’s going to be a long month of learning, friends.
Hospitality is a condition of the heart, not the home. My children didn’t give two flips about what kind of breakfast I served (as long as there was no visible spinach). They were just sleepy, hungry, and wanted a meal. Actually, what they wanted was ME. But, I ruined it. Before the sun even lit the sky, I had already been about as inhospitable as I could be.
I want this month to be real for us, friends. It’s one thing to have head knowledge and talk theoretically about what hospitality might look like. But I’m praying we’ll actually make meaningful changes in our everyday lives as we learn to offer hospitality. So, I spent some time thinking about that morning and what I could have done differently. For me, it hinged on one word – distraction. Which begs the question,
“What was I doing at 6:30 am that was so important that I was already distracted?”
Remember how Ludmilla has the ministry of presence? I wasn’t present for my family that morning. Wanna know where I was? Already busy on my iPhone. Texting carpool changes, emailing the updated volleyball game schedule, and yes, even seeing what everyone else was having for breakfast on Instagram. All those things could have waited 30 minutes when Husband and the Littles left for the day.
We have a basket on the entry hall table for cell phones. For a while I was really good about putting all our devices there, allowing ALL of us the opportunity to unplug and be present during meals and family time. The basket has been empty lately. I’m going to bring back the iBasket and collect all our iDevices that suck the i out of our lives.
I’ll let you know if getting rid of just one distraction frees up space in my heart and life so that I can offer hospitality at home.
To kick it up a notch and make things outrageous, I’m sharing a simple and favorite breakfast recipe. Make this Overnight French Toast the day before you want to serve it, allowing for more time to be present and hospitable at 6:30 in the morning.
Day #3 Table Talk: What ONE thing could you do this week to make space for Outrageous Hospitality?
- ¼ cup butter, room temp
- 12 slices French bread
- 6 eggs
- 1½ cups milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 9x12 baking pan. Arrange bread slices in the pan.
- Beat eggs, milk, sugar, syrup, vanilla, and salt. Pour the mixture over the bread. Turn bread slices to coat. Cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes. Turn bread slices over and continue baking until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Serve immediately with maple syrup or jam and fresh berries.
Brave. Honest. Just a few of the reasons I love you so much.
Brave, perhaps. Although I’m shakin’ in my boots a little about how I’ve gotta walk this walk now. Honest….well, we’ll see if I’m honest enough to admit when I fall on my face again. 😉
Thank you for being my friend. xoox, K
Love this, love your transparency and heart! I love the iBasket idea. And the recipe is to die for! :))
Thank you, Kate. Like I said, I’ve tried the iBasket idea before. Hoping I have better discipline this go ’round. And, the Overnight French Toast is so easy, but so good. Kinda hard to mess up with eggs, vanilla, and sugar, right? So grateful you are at the table, friend. xo, K
You are brave to speak out loud your intentions to be more hospitable! Whenever I say something like that out loud, “I’m going to be nicer,” or “I’m going to pray more,” or “I’m going to run a marathon,” it’s like I’m cursing myself or something. Suddenly, everything in the universe seems to conspire against me.
Thanks for your truth-telling here, and for reminding us this is something we practice, and not something we always get right.
Deidra,
Like I just said to Susie ^^, I’m shakin’ in my boots a little. Ok, a lot. I’m thinking this month was meant to be more transforming than easy. Also thinking I may spend the month of November going back to writing about how to grill beets. 😉 xo, K
First off, Kristin, let me say BRAVO! to you for taking on the 31-day writing challenge. And I love your topic about outrageous hospitality. I’m nodding and agreeing with this post, knowing how my own family members get my most half-hearted efforts at hospitality, while I save the best stuff for people who use the front door.
I’ll be following along, Kristin. I love learning from you…
~ Jennifer Lee
Jennifer – I still haven’t figured out which High Calling team member posted the original question about Outrageous Hospitality?!?! I may need to know so I can offer thanks or run & hide after this 31 Day challenge. 😉
Grateful you are here. And, for the honesty of half-hearted efforts for our family and saving the best stuff for guests. Isn’t that the sad truth? I’m praying that God will use this tiny place, my kitchen table, to change all of our hearts towards his this month.
Thanks for being at the table. xox, K
I will practice hospitality at dinner for two this evening. I wonder what hubby would think if he were treated as a real guest at the table?
Mia,
To quote our family, “now THAT’s what I’m talking about!” Let me know what Popa thinks and I’ll *try* to live up to “like mother, like daughter” and treat Husband like the guest of honor too. Guess that means I need to get off the computer and head to HEB. See you there. xo, K
You are not alone my friend…Love you and your honesty. I think I said something like “You two should order more lunches from school…I hate making lunches!” Ohh it’s hard Lord!
Ashley,
OK. I totally suck at the whole order lunch vs make lunch thing. And, I found myself grumbling often over the last six weeks (since I missed the order deadline way back in August) as I played short order cook and packed 4 different lunches, 4 different ways.
A little tip I learned that helped me s.l.o.w.l.y. change my heart was to pray over each of the Little’s lunches as I was slapping pb&js together. Kinda hard to grumble AND pray for your children at the same time. Plus, it was kinda like multi-tasking, which shamefully made me feel good at 6:30 am.
So glad we are in this together, friend. xo, K
Can I tell you how much I love this? Thanks so much for this series, friend! I know I need it! 🙂
Erin,
Clearly I need it too! Glad to be taking one for the team and sharing my warts as God teaches me what Outrageous Hospitality means. Next year, I hope I get to learn about chocolate. 😉 Love you, friend. Can’t wait to see you in just a couple weeks. ox, K
Love this, the iBasket sounds amazing! I’ve been doing a lot of research about social media and our daily lives and of developing kiddos. Look up Sherry Turkle’s TED talk, that’s the first I saw:)
Distraction is it! I try to ask myself a distraction from what too! Xoxo
Krista,
I haven’t heard of the TED talk. Thanks for continuing to teach and inspire me. Why oh why did you have to up and get married and move to a fabulous hip city?!? We miss you and the outrageous hospitality you share every day you walk through our front door. {Now come on back!} Love you, K
Following you these 31 days. Love these thoughts. I’m making your pulled pork menu for company coming into town tomorrow night. Looks so delish I can’t wait! Xo
Megan,
Tell me how the pulled pork menu goes! Can’t wait to hear. And YAY for having folks over to your new house. Isn’t it fun? Praying blessings, cheer and the joy of tasting that the Lord is good! Love you, K
Why the heck is this the first time I have heard about your iBasket? Genius you are… Genius.
Great post, too. One of my faves.
xoxoxo
Helllloooo! You haven’t seen the iBasket because I FAILED to keep anything but hair bows and unnecessary plastic pieces in it. I think we lasted 4 days when I first tried the iBasket. I’m sure the Kravitz Littles remember my attempt. But, check it out, my dear friend. It’s on the entry hall table. Let’s just pray it’s not always empty. 😉
Oh, I so get this!! I keep my ipad by my bed, because I read at night. But I also pick it up to check emails before my feet hit the ground in the morning!! What’s so important that it can’t wait til the kids get out the door….Love that ibasket….
m
Maggie,
What is it about pluggin in that lures us before our feet hit the ground? And, if I wake up in the middle of the night? Me thinks I’ve got a wee iphone addiction. 😉 xo
Everyone’s on their own around here for breakfast, even on weekends. Although when the picky-eater grandgirl is here, she’ll ask me to pop frozen waffles in the toaster for her and pour her some milk. Maybe this weekend I’ll try halving this yummy looking recipe for my husband and me. He may fall over if I make him breakfast.
Did you have to bring up grumbling again?
Sandra,
Try this recipe! Especially when the grandgirl is sleeping over. You won’t need to half the recipe. 😉 So glad you are here, my friend. xo
Brave. Human. Teacher. Compadre.
Heather, thank you for being here. We’ve spent our faire share of time bringing food and people together, huh? Back in the day, I’m not sure I would have recognized the gift of what we were doing – hosting and feeding massive crowds. Glad you are still in the “hospitality” business, the world needs more like you. Congrats on your new gig, too! xo
One thing I could do… I guess I could help Hubby with the laundry. He does it because he used to complain how I did it, so of course I said, “If you don’t like how I do it, then do it yourself.” But with this many people in the house, laundry is getting out of hand. I suppose it would be nice of me to help out. Can I grumble while I fold?
Carolyn, Yikes! Laundry. You are brave. 😉 xo
Outrageous hospitality. Now there is an idea that is close to my heart, and so hard to implement.
I think my house and my heart could use an iBasket.
MARCUS!!! Now the party can begin. Thanks for coming to my table. I’m offering a toast to you, friend, for leading the inspiration for this 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality. I’ve learned much in the Canyon at Laity Lodge. 😉